PRE-GAME Round 9 - Sea Eagles vs Broncos

[Big Pete]

Ordinarily I wouldn't back the Broncos when they're in this type of form. However, with Cherry-Evans, T. Trbojevic, Taufua, Fonua-Blake, Croker etc. out for Manly it certainly tips the scales in Brisbane's favour.

 

[Wolfie]

If its true, well done to Siebold. Issako and Roberts defence individually and as a partnership has been fairly ordinary even when they were both performing. Still think a bigger shake up is in order, but its a start.

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

Looking like an ACL for McCullough, FFS.

If we thought our defense was bad with him, wait till you see it without him.

If only we still had Wayne we could have quickly offered Macca a new 4 year deal to continue the trend of putting the players he cares about above what’s best for the club.

 

[007]

Brilliant move, I support the benching.

This could be a turning point in the culture of the team.

 

[the_next]

Honestly how is boyd still in this team (at least not even moved.)
I’d have Roberts in over boyd, Roberts only let 1 try in on the weekend, whereas Darius let 2 in and has been letting them in all year.
Seibs, get it sorted.

 

[Allo]

Honestly how is boyd still in this team (at least not even moved.)
I’d have Roberts in over boyd, Roberts only let 1 try in on the weekend, whereas Darius let 2 in and has been letting them in all year.
Seibs, get it sorted.

If Isaako wasn’t second-year-syndrome-ing it up, I’d wager it would be happening now if not already. We’re just desperately short on decent outside backs

 

[1910]

Sua played 2nd row yesterday but not sure about edge or middle. His defence was pretty diabolical wherever has was positioned. I expected him to be ripping in but he just seemed so lackadaisical and half hearted in most things he did.

@1910 could give you a better account though.

I didn't think he was super bad- I know that sounds ridiculous when you get beaten by 70. He played the whole 80 minutes, scored their only try, Only missed two tackles which given the score isn't too bad.

He was trying hard to make an impact with his runs and certainly caused some damage. He made that line break in the second half. Pretty hard for an edge forward getting beaten by 70 and losing your half.

I thought he showed some efforts.

 

[1910]

1. Boyd
2. Oates
3. Staggs
4. Bird
5. Shibasaki
6. Milford
7. Dearden
8. Lodge
9. Turpin
10. Haas
11. Glenn
12. Gillett
13. Offa

14. Paix
15. TPJ
16. Fifita
17. Carrigan / Flegler

Paix couldn't engineer a single point for his team on the weekend. How is he going to do it in an NRL game?

 

[FaithinHook]

Honestly how is boyd still in this team (at least not even moved.)
I’d have Roberts in over boyd, Roberts only let 1 try in on the weekend, whereas Darius let 2 in and has been letting them in all year.
Seibs, get it sorted.

As well as Roberts poor form, he also obviously looks like he doesn't want to be here/in the team. His attitude is toxic. I think Darius' time will come sooner or later - a positional change that is.

 

[Cult]

Looking like an ACL for McCullough, FFS.

If we thought our defense was bad with him, wait till you see it without him.

But we beat that shitty Titans team without him that one time. Seibold should be on the phone to Segeyaro right now.

 

[Cult]

Boyd is still captain and at fullback so there is still one big piece of the puzzle missing

Imagine how many unnecessary tackles he is going to have to make now that the only bloke in our front line that bothers to attempt to tackle is out

 

[FaithinHook]

I didn't think he was super bad- I know that sounds ridiculous when you get beaten by 70. He played the whole 80 minutes, scored their only try, Only missed two tackles which given the score isn't too bad.

He was trying hard to make an impact with his runs and certainly caused some damage. He made that line break in the second half. Pretty hard for an edge forward getting beaten by 70 and losing your half.

I thought he showed some efforts.

I think my opinion of his game was influnced by that one tackle he missed towards the end of the game. I can't remember exactly who the opposition player was (Olam or Hynes I think), but Sua was the last line of defence and he basically fell off the tackle with no resistance at all.

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

I think the whole ‘Macca is a defensive gun’ and the ‘look how bad our defense will be without him’ has been grossly exaggerated over the years based on one eyed fans just looking purely at how many tackles he makes a game on the stats sheet.

Look he is semi reliable and plugs a gap but it’s not like he has a Victor Radley-esque tackle technique where he can cut blokes twice his size down one on one. Also he is not a big body that can wrestle and dominate guys one on one and win the ruck.

How many of his 40-50 odd tackles a game are him just wrapping up the ball carrier with the aid of 1 or 2 other defenders? Besides his tackle counts the only other decent thing about his defense is he doesn’t usually leave gaps in the line probably because he is too slow to shoot out of the line and put a shot on anyway. Reed Mahoney can do the exact same job for Parra with the similar tackle counts yet still have some sort of semblance of an attacking game and he is in his second season of first grade. I have also noticed Reed has been kicking a lot more for Parra out of dummy half recently and with quality as well. Mahoney must be licking his lips knowing an origin jersey is going to be almost a given if Macca is his main competition in years to come.

So don’t give me this ‘oh we are fucked defensively without Macca’ bullshit because it’s an absolute cop out. Our defense has been disgusting even with him there. If you want to know what’s wrong with our defense, start with looking at the the arm grabbing techniques of Anthony Milford and James Roberts and then maybe look at our brain dead wingers who pick the wrong moments to rush in off their wings. Then look at our rubbish defensive structures where we struggle to wrap up the ball to prevent second phase play which causes us to be ok the back foot half of the time.

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

If Macca is gone, SURELY the Broncs throw a contract offer at Grant and make the Storm out to be bad guys if they don't release him.

I can’t see how they could deny it. They are already under utilising Brendon Smith in the hopes of having him ready to be the full time 9 when Cam retires which is looking likely to not be until the end of 2020 at the moment. If Grant could get a move to play first grade in 2019, why would he want to stay at Storm in the hopes of maybe getting a bench hooker role 2021?

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

Hmm so Isaako will drop back to play fullback at Souths Logan who are currently getting flogged.. hopefully he slots straight back in and gets his confidence back up.

Which ISC team will Jimmy line up for??

North Sydney Bears

 

[winslow_wong]

I think the whole ‘Macca is a defensive gun’ and the ‘look how bad our defense will be without him’ has been grossly exaggerated over the years based on one eyed fans just looking purely at how many tackles he makes a game on the stats sheet.

Look he is semi reliable and plugs a gap but it’s not like he has a Victor Radley-esque tackle technique where he can cut blokes twice his size down one on one. Also he is not a big body that can wrestle and dominate guys one on one and win the ruck.

How many of his 40-50 odd tackles a game are him just wrapping up the ball carrier with the aid of 1 or 2 other defenders? Besides his tackle counts the only other decent thing about his defense is he doesn’t usually leave gaps in the line probably because he is too slow to shoot out of the line and put a shot on anyway. Reed Mahoney can do the exact same job for Parra with the similar tackle counts yet still have some sort of semblance of an attacking game and he is in his second season of first grade. I have also noticed Reed has been kicking a lot more for Parra out of dummy half recently and with quality as well. Mahoney must be licking his lips knowing an origin jersey is going to be almost a given if Macca is his main competition in years to come.

So don’t give me this ‘oh we are fucked defensively without Macca’ bullshit because it’s an absolute cop out. Our defense has been disgusting even with him there. If you want to know what’s wrong with our defense, start with looking at the the arm grabbing techniques of Anthony Milford and James Roberts and then maybe look at our brain dead wingers who pick the wrong moments to rush in off their wings. Then look at our rubbish defensive structures where we struggle to wrap up the ball to prevent second phase play which causes us to be ok the back foot half of the time.

I reckon teams would direct a lot of traffic at Macca because they know he’ll tackle himself silly and being a slow individual anyway, he’ll be pretty much redundant in attack.

 

[theshed]

Paix couldn't engineer a single point for his team on the weekend. How is he going to do it in an NRL game?

I was more highlighting how boned we are without Kodi or Macca. Turpin plays 60 minutes and Glenn goes to hooker for a spell?

 

[Cult]

I reckon teams would direct a lot of traffic at Macca because they know he’ll tackle himself silly and being a slow individual anyway, he’ll be pretty much redundant in attack.

You reckon they'd prefer to make Macca tired in the 60th minute rather than just run over Milford and Nikorima and get guaranteed points from the 1st minute onwards?